Charging and push-out apparatus for furnaces.



W. M. NECKERMAN.

CHARGING AND PUSH-OUT APPARATUS FOR FURNACES.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 2.19M.

1,159,702. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

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W. M. NECKERMAN.

CHARGING AND PUSH-OUT APPARATUS FOR FURNACES. APPLICATION mm JULY 2.1914.

1,159,702, Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 WIT 55:8 x V/ INVENTQR W. M. NECKERMAN. CHARGlNG AND PUSH-OUT APPARATUS FOR FURNACES.

APPLICATION HLKD JULY 2. I914.

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WILLIAM M. NECKEBMAN, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A SSIGNOR TO THE YOUNGSTOWN SHEET AND TUBE COMPANY, OF ,YOUNGSTOW'N, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CHARGING AND PUSILOUT APIABATUS FOR FURNACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed. July 2, 1914. Serial No. 848,598.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I WILLIAM M. Nncnra- MAN, citizen of the llnited States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Charging and Push-Out Apparatus for Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for charging lap-weld skelp into furnaces and for pushing the skelp from the furnaces to the welding rolls. I do not, however, limit my invention to combinations of apparatus for accomplishing both these functions as the charging apparatus and the pushing-out apparatus may be used alone or separately.

\Vhile I have illustrated my invention as adapted to perform the functions stated, the whole or parts thereof may be employed for other functions.

It is the object of my-invention to rovide for a welding furnace a skelp-charging apparatus which has a very limited travel across the rear end 'of the furnace and to which the skelp may be delivered from one or more bending apparatuses. According to the prevailing practice, the skelp-charging apparatus has to travel transversely of the furnace for every skelp charged into the furnace not only the width of the furnace hearth but also the distance between the latter and the skelp-bending apparatus to which the charging apparatus .must travel to receive a skelp and from which it must travel to one of the positions at the rear of the furnace. In my invention the charging apparatus need travel only the distance between the two extreme furnace-charging positions because I provide a transferring apparatus which delivers the skelp from one or more skelp-bending apparatuses to the said trough, no matter in which of its several charging positions the trough may stand.

My invention lies not only in the combination of the skelp-transferring apparatus with the charging apparatus but also in its combination with the skel -be'ndingapparatus, and with both the f tter apparatus and thecharging a para'tus. My invention further lies in the provide a means for, ushing the skelp out etails and combinationsof the said skelp transferringapparatus- It. isa further object of my lnvention'to' rate from a skelp-charging operation or simultaneously therewith, which ushing means may be combined with the eliarging apparatus or separate therefrom.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan of one of the many forms winch my invention may assume, parts of the furnaces being broken away and shown in horizontal section; Fig. 2, a section on the line IIII, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on the line III-III, Fig. 1; Fig. i, a section corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing a modifi cation; and Fig. 5, a side view of the pushout mechanism shown on Fi 4, together with a portion of a welding fiirnace shown in vertical section.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, l designates a welding furnace having the charging opening 2 in its rear end. I have shown the furnace with SlX positions into which skelp may be charged or placed. Five of these positions are occupied by the five skelp 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, and one of the positions marked 3 is shown vacant. In the ideal working of the furnace, a skelp is first charged through the opening 2 so as to occupy the position 8, for example. Then the skelp 4, '5, 6, 7, and S'are successively charged into the positions shown. In such 1 ideal working the skelp first charged, that is, the one in position 3 will be the first to be raised to a welding heat and will be the first skelp to be pushed out to the weldingrolls (notshown) at the front end of the furnace. The skelp 4 to 8 are then in such ideal working successively pushed out to the welding apparatus and fresh skelp are charged in regular order into the place made vacant by the last skelp which has been pushed out as described. If for any reason, such as the uneven heating of the furnace, the ideal working of the furnace is interfered with, the skelp will be charged into the furnace and pushed out therefrom in such order as the conditions may require.

My invention is particularly adapted to the ideal or regular operation just described, but is also applicable to such irregular operations as may occur. 9 represents a charging table or car positioned at the rear of the furnace and having travel'transversely thereof on the wheels 10 running on the track comprising the rails 11,

The table 9 has on its upper side near one edge the charging trough 12 arranged in line with'the furnace so that a skelp there will' lie-lengthwise of the furnace when pushed from the trough lengthwise into the furnace. The trough has in its bottom the longitudinal slot 13 in which the upstanding or vertical arm 11 on the charging carriage 15 travels. This carriage is 'uided toward and away from the furnace y the lateral. wheels or projections 16 which travel in horizontal channels or guideways in the opposing faces of the horizontal channeled supports 17 resting on the table 9 and supporting the charging trough 12. The carriage 15 is caused to travel back and forth in its guides by the rope or cable 18 or the like having its ends secured to opposite ends of the carriage, the rope passing over the sheave 1 on the forward end of the table and the driving pulley 20 on the rear end of the table, the said pulley being driven by the motor 21 and suitable driving connections,- as the gears 22, for example. The rope 18 runs on the idlers 23 beneath the table 9. To the pivot 24 in the upper edge or end of the arm 14 I connectthe charger arm 25 having a notch 26 in its forward end arranged to engage the end wall of a skelp and push the latter along the trough 12 and into the furnace 1 when the carriage 15 is caused to travel towardthe furnace.

27 is a horizontal push-out arm having traveltoward and from the furnace and is preferably made a partof, or extends out laterally from, the arm 1-1. It projects preferably away from the center of the table or over that edge of the table which is adjacentto the trough 12. The outer end of the push-out arm is enlarged to form the head 28 over which the eye 29, in the rear end of the picker-rod or push-out.rod 30 is slipped and by which it is retained on the push-out arm. The rod has a notch 31 in its front end to engage the rear ends of the skelp in the furnace and enable the rod 30 to push the skelp lengthwise in the furnace and to the welding apparatus in a manner well understood. The arm 27 is preferably so located and constructed that the pushout picker-rod 30 can push out one skelp while the charging arm 25 is ushing another skelp into the furnace in the next position to the skelp being pushed out.

The table 9v is caused to travel on the rails 11 by the motor 32 mounted on the table and connectedbyzthe gearing 331t0 the shaft 34 on which three of the wheels 10 are mounted, I Y

55 are horizontal endless conveyers, such as chains, which run overthe gulleys or 3 therefor,

wheels 86 -secured to the shaft arranged-;parallel with the'trough ,12 and at the same-side ofithetable. The conveyers also run over the sheaves or wheels 38 at the other side of the table. The bearings for the shaft 37 and the wheels 38 are supported by the posts 39 on' the table. The eonveyers are provided with outwardly extending pins or projections 40 arranged in lilies parallel with the trough 12 and spaced apart a distance, at least, equal to the diameter of the largest pipe to be carried by the conveyors. The conveyers deliver the pipe to the apron or skids 11, down which they roll to the trough 12.

-12 represents a draw-bench for bending flat plates into tubular skelp. This bench is parallel with the furnace 1 or trough 12 and may be of ordinary construction and is shown somewhat conventionally, -13 representing the bending die and ilthe usual trough on the bench to receive the skelp as it issues from the bending die. The bending furnace, that is, the furnace in which the plates are heated preparatory to bending, is indicated at 15. The bench -12 stands at a higher level than the conveyors 35, pipe being delivered therefrom to the conveyers by the curved skids 16 which extend so far toward the trough 12 or to the right (Fig. 2) that they will be able to deliver pipe to the conveyors even when the table has moved to its extreme. position toward the ri ht, whereby pipe can be delivered to the ta ble, that is, the conveyers thereon, no matterin which of the positions aforesaid the table may be. The shaft 37 is driven by the motor 37 and intermediate gearing 37".

In the rapid operation of the pipe-mill, one bending bench may not be. able to bend skelp fast enough to supply the trough 12 therewith as fast as the charging apparatus needs to be operated. To provide for this contingency I have provided a second bending-bench 17 between the bench l2 and the trough 12.-. I do not limit myself to any definitelocation for the second bench, but I have shown it over the rear side of the table and spaced from the bench 42, the skids 46 and the table sulliciently to permit skelp to roll down the said skids to .the table. I provide for. the bench 17 the skids 48 which like the skids 46 are curved and inclined toward the trough 12. The skids 48 are pivoted at their upper ends to the side of the bench 47 so that skelp delivered at the rear thereof to the conveyors by the skids 46 can pass beneath the skids 48 merely by engaging their lower sides and lifting them outof. the way, as shown on Fig. 2, where the skelp 49 shown riding beneath the skid LS- which it has lifted out of its path. The bench 47 has therewith the platform 50 forthetong-runners, 51 representing a guard along the outer edge of the platform. At 52 (Fig. 2) I show a skelp which has .passed beyond the n free end of the skid 48.

Itis readily seen that. the charging trough 12 and charging arm 25, and the push-out arm 27 and rod 30, can be positioned opposite any articular skelp in the furnace 1 while skeli) can be delivered to the conveyers at any time without waiting for the table to be brought to any definite position or positions. The conveyors can be moved by properly controlling the motor 37 so as to have a skelp ready to deliver to the trough 12 when the latter is empty and the charging carriage 15 is in its rear position.

I have not shown controllers for the motors, which are preferably electric motors, as controllers are well known for starting and stopping motors and regulating the speed thereof.

On Figs. 4 and 5 I show a modified form of push-out apparatus. I have omitted the push-out arm 27, shown on Figs. 1 and 2, and have substituted therefor an overhead apparatus for actuating the push-out rod 30. 53 represents a. pair of rails or a track above the travel of the trough 12. This track runs parallel with the travel of the table 9. The trolley 54- is mounted on the wheels 55, having travel on the rails 53. The underside of the carriage is provided with the guideway 56 parallel with the trough 12 and the furnace 1, in which guideway the push-out carriage 57 rides. This carriage is caused to travel back and forth in the gnideway 56 by means of the rope or cable 58 having its ends attached to opposite ends thereof and passing over the wheels 59 and 60 on the trolley, the wheel 60 being driven by the motor 61. The carriage 57 is provided with a depending arm 62 having the upwardlyopen book 63 at its lower end adapted to receive the rod 30. The latter has rigidly connected thereto the two collars 64 between which the hook is positioned and by which the rod 30 is driven back and forth as the carriage 57 moves in its guideway 56. When the rod 30 is not in use, that is, connected to the hook or to the arm 27, it rests preferably? on the arms 65 on the forward side of the table. The trolley 54 may be caused to move on the rails 53 by any suitable power or by hand. By making the push-out apparatus independent of the charging apparatus, neither apparatus limits the operation of the other. A skelp car. be charged at any time into any vacant position in the furnace 1 and any skelp in the furnace can be pushed out therefrom, irrespective of the position of the charging trough 12.

I claim- ]..In an apparatus for making lap-weld pipe, a skelp-bending apparatus comprising a bending die and a receiving table for the bent skelp at the rearof the die, a car hav- 7 Copies- 011 111: patent may be obtained for ing travel crosswise of the receiving table and independently thereof, an endless conveyer on the car, and means for transferrin skelp from the table to the conveyer at dif ferent positions of the car.

2. In an apparatus for making lap-weld pipe, a skel -bending apparatus comprising a bending ie and a receiving table for the bent skelp at the rear of the die, a car having travel crossswise of the receiving table and independently thereof, an endless conveyer on the car, and skids for transferring skelp from the table to the conveyer at different positions of the car.

3. In an apparatus for making lap-weld pipe,-a skelp-bending apparatus comprising a bending die. and a hxed receiving table for the bent skelp at the rear of the die, a car having travel crosswise of the receiving table and independently thereof, an endless conveyer on the car, and means for transferring skelp froin'the table to the conveyer at different positions of the car.

4. In an apparatus for making lap-weld pipe, a skelp-bending apparatus comprising a bending die and a receiving table for the bent skelp at the rear of the die, a car having travel crosswise of the receiving table and independently thereof, and an endless conveyer on the car arranged to have travel at a lower level than the table and beneath a fixed place of delivery of pipe thereto from the said table.

In an apparatus for making lap-weld pipe, parallel skelp-bending apparatus each comprising a bending die and a receiving table for bent skelp at the rear of the die, a car having travel crosswise of the receiving tables, an endless conveyer on the car, a skidway for each table for transferring skelp from the tables. to the conveyer at different positions of the car, the skidway for one table passing beneath the other table.

(1. In an apparatus for making lap-weld pipe, parallel skelp-bending apparatus, each comprising a bending die and a receiving table for bent skelp at the rear of the die, a car having travel crosswise of the receiving tables, an endless conveyer on the car. a skidway for each table for transferring skelp from the tables to the conveyer at different positions of the car, the skidway for one table passing beneath the other table and the skidway for the latter table having provision for permitting skelp from the other table to pass beneath it.

Signed at Youngstown, 0., this 29th day of June, 1914.

\VILLIAB'I M. NECKERMAN.

Witnesses:

W. C. REILLY, IV. T. Law'rnras.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). O. 

